Nut-lock



(No Mod-e1.)

J. G. FERGUSON. NUT LOGK.. No. 602,619. Patented Apr. 19,1898.

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QJZZWZGS 0. 1 621974507? iJNirED STATES JAMES C. FERGUSON, OF FAYETTE, MISSOURI.

NUT-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 602,619, dated April 19, 1898.

Application filed June 23, 1897.

T0 ail whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES C. FERGUSON, residing at Fayette, in the county of Howard and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Nut-Lock, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to certain improvements in nut-locks.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved nut-lock to securely hold a rail and the fish-plates together, so that there will be no possibility of the rotation of the nuts after the several parts have been fastened together.

My invent-ion further consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, and afterward pointed out in the claim.

In order to enable persons skilled in the art to which myinvention most nearly appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, having reference to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View showing my improved lockin g device in operative position. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the locking-plate detached.

Like letters of reference mark the same parts wherever they occur in the various figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by letters, A is the rail, which is provided with the usual boltholes for the reception of the bolts B, said bolts being adapted to be passed through the bolt-hole openings of the rail and the fishplates 0, a nut D being provided to screw onto the threaded ends of the bolts, so that the fish-plates may be held in a locked position thereto.

E indicates a locking-plate which may be of any desired length, the same being provided with openings for the passage of the bolts. The ends of this plate are bent around,

as shown, to form ears F to receive the ends of the curved plates G H, pins I being passed through the ears of the rear plate and the outwardly-extended part of the front plates, so that hinges are formed at these points to permit of said plates G and H being swung in and out from the rear or base plate, it of Serial No. 641,928. (No model.)

course being understood that these plates G and H are provided with the usual openings J, through which the ends of the bolts project.

K indicates openings formed in the plate G for the reception of a tongue L, projecting forwardly from the end of the opposite plate H. These plates G and H are bent forwardly, as shown at M, so that the inner sides of the bent portions will bear against the sides of the nuts when the parts are locked together, thereby preventing any possibility of the nuts rotating therein. It will be noticed that after the rear plate has been placed in position upon the bolts the nuts are screwed onto the threaded ends of the bolts and the sections of plate G and. H swung around against the front sides of the nuts, a secure connection being had by reason of the fact that one of said sections provided with the tongue is slipped through the opening formed in the opposite plate.

N indicates a band or keeper which is freely movable and adapted to slide back and forth over the plates G and H, this keeper being provided with an opening to receive a linchpin or other fastening device 0 to lock the several plates together after they have been placed in position upon the bolts, it of course being understood that if a linchpin is employed the rear free ends thereof will be fiattened out against the inner face of one of said plates, so that there will be no possibility of said plates becoming loose.

The operation of the device will be apparent from the foregoing description and may be briefly stated as follows: After the rail has been set in position and the fish-plate arranged as desired the bolts are passed through the openings for their reception through the fish-plates and rail. The rear plate of my fastening device is then slipped over the threaded end of the bolt. The nuts are then screwed onto the threaded ends of these bolts until the fish-plates are securely fastened to the rails. The outer plates are then swung around, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, one of said plates provided with the tongue being inserted in the opening formed in the opposite section of the plate which is adapted to receive the same. A linchpin or other fastening device is then passed through the open ing formed in these plates intended for their reception and is flattened out or otherwise secured on the inner sides thereof in order that said outer plates can be firmly bound together.

\Vhile I have described my locking mechanism as being particularly adaptable for use in connection with rail-joints, yet it will be understood that I do not care to limit myself to such use,as the construction herein set forth can be used on bridges, wagons, or any other place where it is desired to fasten a number of parts together.

The many advantages of the construction herein set forth will be obvious, and it will be readily seen that I can securely lock one or more nuts against any possible rotating thereof in a quick and simple manner and that by reason of the peculiar arrangement of parts herein set forth the locking mechanism can be easily removed should occasion call for the disassemblingvof the several parts.

Vhile I have illustrated and described the best means now known to me for carrying out my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not restrict myself to the exact details of construction shown and described,

but hold that any such slight changes or variations in such details as might suggest themselves to the ordinary mechanic will properly fall within the limit and scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

A nut-lock comprising the rear or base plate, in combination with the flaps or supplemental plates hinged to the ends thereof, an opening formed in one of said supplemental plates to receive the tongue projecting forwardly from the ends of the opposite supplemental plate, a sliding keeper adapted to be freely movable back and forth on said plates, and a fastening-pin adapted to be passed through said keeper and fastened on the rear sides of the supplemental plates to hold the same in a locked position against the sides of the nuts, substantially as described.

JAMES C. FERGUSON.

Vitnesses:

N. E. SMITH, JEssE DowNEY. 

